Study Desk

"He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

Then the angel replied to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God.

"For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible."

"And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord."

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

"For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant; For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God!

"AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO [stand in great awe of God and] FEAR HIM.

At once Zacharias' mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking, praising and blessing and thanking God.

"Blessed (praised, glorified) be the Lord, the God of Israel, Because He has visited us and brought redemption to His people,

Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us,

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (angelic army) praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased."

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed and praised and thanked God, and said,

She, too, came up at that very moment and began praising and giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all who were looking for the redemption and deliverance of Jerusalem.

And the Child continued to grow and become strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor, spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and men.

in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas [his son-in-law], the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

AND ALL MANKIND SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.'"

So he began saying to the crowds who were coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath [of God that is] to come?